Today’s yokai is an interesting one because it does something that most other yokai do not do: it interacts with other yokai!

Only a few yokai ever really work in concert with others. A few examples would be ushi oni and nure onna or iso onna. A case could probably also be made for kage onna. Aside from a small handful of creatures, most yokai work solo, or with other groups of the same yokai (as kappa often do).

Hikeshibaba is a rare case in that her entire purpose for existence is to make it easier for other yokai to appear, by blowing out lanterns and candles and making the world a dimmer, gloomier place. It’s safe to bet that a lot of human-yokai interactions have been made possible thanks to her hard work! Otsukaresama deshita, hikeshibaba!

Hikeshibaba / 火消婆 / ひけしばば

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